Critics of the Kremlin accuse it of scapegoating gay people as a way of cementing Mr Putin's hold on power since his re-election in 2012 amid mass anti-government protests.

Nonetheless, one openly gay US athlete who is a self-confessed Russophile, Johnny Weir, told Reuters news agency this week he could not support the Sochi boycott calls.

The figure skater, who had hoped to compete himself but is recovering from injury, argued that an issue which affects a minority group should not ruin a "lifetime of sacrifices" made by thousands of athletes.

"I've come under so much hate and scrutiny from within my own LGBT community for my views on the Olympics," the former Olympian said.

"But as somebody who watched my parents sacrifice everything so that I had at least one chance of making the Olympics, I could never boycott the Olympics whether they be in Pyongyang, in Uganda, in Iran or Mars."

Meanwhile, in the south Russian city of Voronezh, security guards detained a gay rights protester for unfurling a rainbow flag during the Olympic torch relay on Saturday.

"Hosting the games here contradicts the basic principles of the Olympics, which is to cultivate tolerance," Mr Lebedev said.